These No Bake Peanut Butter Bars fall into the ridiculously easy category and are great for something to do with the kids. A chocolatey crust, insanely delicious, smooth, and creamy filling and a just right chocolate top, make these one of the best bars around.
They're quickly put together and just as quickly eaten. These can go on a picnic or serve as dessert for an outdoor dinner. Actually, they're good anywhere, anytime.
If you love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, this is is a much better version you'll love.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's easy to make yet delicious and beautiful
- The recipe uses simple ingredients, probably in your pantry
- These can be made ahead
- These bars are packed with flavor
Recipe Ingredients
Crust
BACK ROW: Graham cracker crumbs, melted butter
FRONT ROW: Powdered sugar, cocoa
Peanut Butter Filling
BACK ROW: Creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar
FRONT ROW: Vanilla extract, butter
Chocolate topping
Semisweet chocolate callets and shortening
Either cocoa. natural or Dutch can be used. Dutch will give a darker color.
Commercial Creamy Peanut Butter is best for this recipe such as Jif, Peter Pan or Skippy.
While I use Callebaut #811 semisweet chocolate callets (they are not chocolate chips), any good brand of chocolate can be used. I don't suggest chocolate chips.
Shortening is used to quick temper the chocolate. Food grade cocoa butter or coconut oil (the firm kind) can be substituted. Do not use butter or oil as they won't set up as well.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Crumb Crust
Step 1. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and cocoa in a medium size bowl.
Step 2. Add the melted butter to the crumb mixture.
Step 3. Toss the crumbs and butter together with a fork to evenly coat them.
Step 4. Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
Peanut Butter Filling
Step 5. Place the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer.
Step 6. Beat on low to bring together, then on medium to mix completely.
Step 7. Dollop the filling over the crust to make it easier to spread.
Step 8. Spread the filling evenly over the crust with a small offset spatula.
Finishing
Step 1. Combine the chocolate and shortening in a bowl and either microwave on half power or place over a double boiler to melt.
Step 2. Whisk gently to smooth completely. Do not be too enthusiastic or there will be air bubbles in the finished ganache.
Step 3. Pour the ganache over the peanut butter layer and tilt it from side to side to cover the entire pan. Alternatively, it can be spread with a small offset spatula.
Shortening is used to quick temper chocolate and prevent it from discoloring at room temperature. Tempering chocolate requires several steps and heating, cooling and heating chocolate again. This is just a quick solution.
This is a 54.5% chocolate and is the perfect all around chocolate. It can be used for molding, in chocolate centers, ganache, in cakes, cupcakes, and frostings. In other words wherever a good chocolate is needed. The callets look like chocolate chips but are actually drops of pure chocolate that melt easily.
Expert Tips
- Use a commercial peanut butter such as Jif, Peter Pan or Skippy for best results
- Shortening, such as Crisco, food grade cocoa butter or firm coconut oil prevents the chocolate from getting out of temper which can show up as white streaking or dots.
- The graham cracker crumbs can be made by processing graham crackers until crumbs form.
More of the Bars You'll Love
If you love these Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating in the recipe card and let me know how it went the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
Chocolate Crumb Crust
- 1 ⅓ cups graham cracker crumbs* (170 grams or 6 ounces)
- ¼ cup cocoa (25 grams or 1 scant ounce)
- ½ cup unsifted powdered sugar (55 grams or 2 ounces)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (114 grams or 4 ounces)
- *Buy them in crumbs or run crackers through food processor
Peanut Butter Filling
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter (340 grams or 12 ounces)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, very, very soft but not runny (114 grams or 4 ounces or 1 stick)
- 1 pound powdered sugar (454 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Chocolate Topping
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate (225 grams)
- 2 tablespoons shortening
Instructions
Chocolate Crumb Crust
- Combine the crumbs, cocoa and powdered sugar in a bowl. Mix very well. Pour butter over and mix with a fork until completely combined.
- Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
Peanut Butter Filling
- Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a mixer. Beat until well combined. Spread over the chocolate crust. Set aside.
Chocolate Topping
- Place the chocolate and shortening in a small bowl and microwave at half power for about 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. If it won't smooth out, microwave at half power for 5 to 10 seconds more. Wait for a minute and then stir again. If using a whisk, be gentle to avoid air bubbles.
- Pour over the peanut butter filling. Rotate the pan to evenly cover the filling. Alternatively, spread with a small offset spatula. Chill until completely set.
- Release by turning upside down on a board. Use a hair blower set on high to briefly heat the edges of the pan until it drops out. Remove the paper. Turn it right side up.
- Cut 5 across, 1 ½" and three down, 2 ⅔ inches. You can also cut these bars in half for smaller treats. For perfect cuts, run the knife under really hot water, wipe it quickly and melt down through the top layer with steady pressure, then cut straight down. Re-heat the knife for each cut.
- Note: If it is very warm, you may want to refrigerate these if they soften too much.
- Yield: 15 bars or 30 half size treats.
Notes
Nutrition
Elaine Wolshock says
Delicious!
Helen S Fletcher says
Thanks Elaine. So glad you enjoy them.
Barb Pohlman says
Helen, I used the print button on your peanut butter bars recipe and it takes me to another baking page.
Is it something I am doing wrong?
Love your recipes!
Barb
Hillary says
Just made these this weekend. Very rich. The warm knife trick really helped. I am taking them to my family party tonight - will see how people react!
hfletcher says
They are that. I suggest cutting them in half - people can always take two.
Happy Baking says
I was wondering if the type of peanut butter used made a difference? For example, all natural peanut butter naturally separates. Is that a problem?
hfletcher says
If the peanut butter separates, I would not use it. But I have not made it with anything other than either Jif or Peter Pan.
Deborah says
Hi, Helen, I just found your blog by way of Pat at Back Porch Musings. Your talents are amazing! I will be returning many times. Thank you, and best wishes for continued success.
hfletcher says
Hi Deborah - Thank you so much for your kind words. So happy to have you join us.
Cheryl Ann says
Thank you so much Helen. I live in Thompsons Station TN, just outside of Nashville and am always looking for something good to bring to our neighborhood dinners. This will be very popular!
hfletcher says
Hi Cheryl - I love the name of your town. It conjures up thoughts of when trains were king and ran through every big and little city and town. Glad you like the bars - I can't believe how popular they are.
Jackie says
I only wish you had a print version of this so I didn't have to type it in order to save it. Sounds great - I'll be trying it very soon.
hfletcher says
Hi Jackie: There is a print version. Go to the bottom of the recipe - in this case the last photo. There is a print button. Click on that. To remove the images so you don't have a 20 page recipe - go to the top of that page and it says "remove images". Click on that and print.
Hope this helps.
Jackie says
OMG - I can't believe I missed that. I have a feeling I will be using it to print a lot of your recipes. Thank you for your help. Love seeing you on TV.
hfletcher says
You're welcome. Don't feel bad - people miss it. Or the next questions is "How do I get rid of all the pictures".
hfletcher says
Don't feel bad Jackie. People miss it. When they get there I often get another text saying, "How do I get rid of the pictures?" Glad you like the blog. Love being on TV!
kim says
Thank you for the recipe. This looks like a great summer treat!
Alison Wiebe says
I found a recipe for Peanut Butter Bars online last year, and no matter what I did, the topping broke and so did the base. What a mess!
Looking at your recipe here, I can see why. Both the topping and the base were only melted chocolate. No Graham crumbs, no Crisco. Hah! No wonder it was a fail! Yours look much nicer and I will most certainly be making your version.
Thank you for all the great baking tips and recipes. You have saved me from disaster a few times now.
hfletcher says
Hi Alison - I am so happy to have been of help. I took saw a version of these on the internet and they had used a thin coat of plain chocolate. Not attractive when cut. Do look at the extended instructions for cutting so you can have perfect bars also.
Alison Wiebe says
I did see that, thanks, and have used that method in the past with others items, but with the hot knife did not work for that recipe from last year. I am positive that this is the recipe that I need.
Mary E Coyle says
Helen, I've made these in the past for cookie exchanges. They really are wonderful!
hfletcher says
Hi Mary - try this version next time - the pb filling is amazing...literally melts in your mouth.
ellen graves says
OH these look soooo good. We have a friend who'd think he was in paradise if we made these for him! And if you make the half size ones you can even feel virtuous (??!) as you eat one. As soon as I have time I'll try them, I know they'll be delicious.
hfletcher says
Hi Ellen: Bet you can't stop at one half size piece!!
Manisha says
It looks delicious!!! Sometimes it is so difficult to believe that something so simple can be so good. I loved the perfectly cut slices.
hfletcher says
Hi Manisha: I agree that sometimes we are deceived into thinking baking has to be difficult to be good. Thank you for mentioning the slices. I went back and expanded on how to get those. Hope all is going well in your part of the world.
Manisha says
Yes Helen all is going very well. We are all set for a small holiday to our neighbouring country.